Kayleigh has reopened Take Five Café on Barry High Street, bringing back a family business her grandmother Tina Simpson ran for 25 years before closing it in 2005. The café, which first opened in 1980, has returned to the same location after more than two decades.
A Family Legacy Restored
Tina, now 83, opened Take Five in 1980 and built a loyal customer base over the years, with regulars becoming friends. Her husband, David, also became a familiar face to visitors. The café closed when Tina decided to step away to spend more time with her husband, who was 80 at the time. David died in 2019, aged 94.
Kayleigh, 35, said reopening the business was about more than bringing back a familiar name to Barry High Street. It was also a chance to reconnect with her childhood and the grandparents who played an important role in it. The idea came about around Christmas last year, when Kayleigh noticed the shop had been empty for more than a year.
Memories and Original Menu
Tina recalled the early days of the café, saying: "It was a lot easier back then in 1980 and we had a lovely clientele for 25 years. They came in every week, so I think, for 25 years, I made lots and lots of friends."
Among her strongest memories was her 60th birthday party, where 78% of attendees were customers from Take Five. "It was the best night of my whole life," she said. Tina has kept the café's original menu from 1980, which shows a cup of tea costing 15p and homemade cakes ranging from 12p to 45p a slice.
Personal Motivation
Before reopening Take Five, Kayleigh worked in peer mentoring, helping people with mental health difficulties and substance use problems get back into employment. She moved into that work after losing her brother Tyler to suicide in 2017, when he was 21. "My brother's death has been a bit of a part of this journey for me to give me an umph," she said.
Kayleigh also wanted a business that would give her flexibility around raising her daughter, Ronnie, who was diagnosed with autism. She said managing work around that was hard, and being close to her nan allows her to keep an eye on her while working. Kayleigh said the response from people in Barry since reopening has been moving, as she sees how much her grandparents meant to the wider community.
